An electrocatalytic active lyocell fabric cathode based on cationically functionalized and charcoal decorated graphite composite for quasi-solid state dye sensitized solar cell. (October 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mengal, Naveed; Arbab, Alvira Ayoub; Sahito, Iftikhar Ali; Memon, Anam Ali; Sun, Kyung Chul; Jeong, Sung Hoon
• Is Part Of: Solar energy. Volume 155(2017)
• Page Start: 110
• Page End: 120
• Publication Date: 2017-10
• Subjects: Lyocell fabric -- Cationic functionalization Graphite -- Activated charcoal -- Electrocatalytic activity -- Dye sensitized solar cell; Solar energy -- Periodicals; Solar engines -- Periodicals; 621.47
• DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2017.06.032
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0038-092X

Abstract

Graphical abstract: Cationic functionalized and activated charcoal decorated graphite coated lyocell fabric cathode is Q-DSSCs, displayed 7.1% efficiency. Highlights: Various composites of activated charcoal and enzyme functionalized graphite (AC-GC) were prepared by a facile route. Highly porous and electrocatalytic AC-GC coatings were applied on lyocell fabric for preparation of flexible electrode. The flexible electrodes showed high stability in water and lithium iodide based electrolyte. DSSC based on optimized flexible electrode demonstrated maximum power conversion efficiency of 7.09%. Abstract: The state of the art of conductive functional textile woven fabrics have given rise to a demand for textile integrated electrodes. Herein, we report a highly conductive and flexible woven fabric electrode using highly absorbent lyocell fabric as the substrate and cationically functionalized and activated charcoal decorated graphite composite (AC-GC) as the coating film. This (AC-GC) coated lyocell fabric is used as a cathode for quasi-solid state dye sensitized solar cell (Q-DSSCs). Our suggested fabric based cathode shows sufficiently high conductivity and electrocatalytic activity (ECA) compared to platinum (Pt) based reference counter electrode (CE). This efficient CE demonstrates extremely low charge transfer resistance (RCT ) of 1.56 Ω cm 2 with polyethylene oxide based quasi-solid electrolyte. The cationic charged enriched charcoal decorated graphite planner structure provide more availability of active sites for the reduction of negatively charged tri-iodide ( I 3 - ) ions present in polymeric gel electrolyte. The formation of porous charcoal voids and conductive graphite channels entrap large amounts of gel electrolyte and provide fast diffusion of iodide/tri-iodide ( I - / I 3 - ) ions. Our organic system of AC-GC coated lyocell fabric based DSSCs assembly demonstrated 7.09% power conversion efficiency (PCE) when fabricated with quasi-solid electrolyte. This AC-GC coated fabric CE is also highly stable in water and electrolyte solution. The adequate electrocatalytic activity and cyclic stability demonstrate that this AC-GC coated fabric can be used to replace expensive Pt CE and can be used in flexible solar cells in future.